Often, passive-aggressive behavior stems from what is typically a good thing: the desire to avoid conflict. Or, it could be a ...

A critical comment with a big smile. Silence when you know they can hear you. “But you didn’t tell me I had to do it that way.” Passive-aggressive people know just how to get under your skin, and ...

We all bear witness to passive-aggressive behavior at times—or maybe even exhibit it ourselves on occasion. You know the type: the person who hooks you on false promises, builds up your hopes, but ...

Passive-aggressive people rarely tell you exactly what’s bothering them. Instead, their frustration slips out in subtle ways: a backhanded joke, a heavy sigh, an uncharacteristically curt text—all of ...

Ever been in a conversation where someone’s words don’t match their tone, and you’re left guessing what’s really going on?

George Orwell, in his 1945 essay, wrote that “political language is designed to make lies sound truthful.” He could have been describing passive-aggressive behavior. It’s not outright deception, but ...

Dating someone who communicates through eye rolls, silent treatment and backhanded compliments feels like trying to solve a puzzle where half the pieces are missing. You’re constantly walking on ...

Bad bosses aren’t just a workplace nuisance. A leader’s manipulative, passive-aggressive, credit-taking, and overly critical behavior can lead to workplace bullying, job dissatisfaction, psychological ...

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married for 49 years. Of course, we’ve had our ups and downs. My husband, “Sid,” said he was joking at the store the other day. When I talk, I gesture with my hands. A woman was ...

Your colleague says one thing in a meeting but then does another. He passes you in the hallway without saying hello and talks over you in meetings. But when you ask to speak with him about it, he ...

Passive-aggressive is a popular term that sounds like a total oxymoron—isn't it one or the other? Passive or aggressive? Not necessarily. This description may sound familiar...as in, like one or more ...